State and Local Government Transportation Construction Value

The value of transportation construction shows the investment in new and rebuilt infrastructure. In the near-term, this construction creates jobs. The long-term effect of improved transportation infrastructure is a lowered cost of transportation, which helps enable growth in the economy.

Transportation construction includes new infrastructure put in place, as well as conversions, expansions, reconstructions, and rehabilitations of existing transportation infrastructure; it does not include maintenance or land acquisition. State and local governments spent $101.2 billion on transportation infrastructure construction in 2011, a 6.1% decrease from 2010. Federal expenditures on highway and other transportation construction were $2.7 billion in 2011, as most of the revenues collected at the federal level are redistributed to the states.

State and Local Transportation Construction Value

Apr-12

Apr-13

Highway and Street Construction (millions of dollars)

5,457

5,303

Percent change from same month previous year

+ 6.8%

- 2.8%

Land Transportation Construction (millions of dollars)

994

1,094

Percent change from same month previous year

- 0.1%

+ 10.1%

Air Transportation Construction (millions of dollars)

646

775

Percent change from same month previous year

- 27.6%

+ 20.0%

Water Transportation Construction (millions of dollars)

169

167

Percent change from same month previous year

+ 74.2%

- 1.2%

NOTES: The current value is compared to the value from the same period in the previous year to account for seasonality.

Air transportation includes terminals, runways, towers, and other facilities. Land transportation includes terminals, transit facilities, railroad track and bridges, and other facilities. Water transportation includes docks, wharves, marinas, and other terminals, but does not include levees, locks, jetties, or sea walls.